Lewis Hamilton takes the blame for Ferrari’s failed strategy in Singapore
Lewis Hamilton missed out on a podium at the Singapore Grand Prix after choosing not to pit during a Virtual Safety Car period, dropping to sixth. The seven-time world champion admitted his mistake and apologised to the team.
The Virtual Safety Car was deployed on lap 39 after Lance Stroll pulled off the track with a suspected clutch problem on his Aston Martin. At that point, Hamilton had already completed 21 laps on soft tyres, while teammate Charles Leclerc had done 15 laps on mediums. Only the Monegasque took the opportunity for a cheap second pit stop.
The two Ferraris, running second and third just 4.4 seconds apart, had a perfect chance to double-stack in the pits. Instead, Hamilton chose to gamble and stay out, completing a marathon 44-lap stint on the softs. The decision backfired completely: he slipped to sixth, even being passed by Oscar Piastri, and finished almost 46 seconds behind Leclerc. The call cost him around 41.5 seconds.
Team principal Fred Vasseur told F1 TV that Ferrari had split their drivers’ strategies from the start so Leclerc could attack pole-sitter Max Verstappen. On the VSC, he added: “The plan was to pit both cars, but Lewis decided to stay out. Overall, it was a mistake. We could have finished second and third. He apologised on the in-lap for not following our instructions.”
After Verstappen’s first win in Singapore, Hamilton’s lead over the Dutchman, who is fourth in the championship, has shrunk to just eight points.
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